The past 18 months have challenged every American. We’ve found out just how resilient we can be when it matters most. Many of us gained the Quarantine 15 to later turn around and decide to take better care of our minds and bodies as we buckled in for the long haul with the fight against COVID-19.
Navigating our lives in this unprecedented season in human history has proven to bring a set of challenges many have never encountered. One thing is certain, overall wellness and self-care are key components to creating the life you have been redeemed to live. In addition to spiritual wellness, such as committing yourself to prayer and time in God’s word, Iet’s take a look at your whole wellness from physical and financial, to mental and relational. Consider the following tips to achieve a healthier you.
Physical Wellness
Maintaining proper physical wellness is essential to overall health and well-being. While some self-care tips seem routine and obvious, leaving one out of the equation can cause an imbalance in your daily wellness regiment.
- Eat well. Busy adults are prone to making unhealthy meal choices or skipping meals altogether. A balanced diet helps you maintain good physical and mental health, but let’s be honest, there are days our balanced diets go by the wayside. Prioritize what you put in your body. It is the fuel that drives you.
- Get enough sleep. Many adults struggle to sleep. Improve sleep naturally by establishing a nightly sleep routine: turn off devices an hour before going to bed and reserve that hour for quiet activities such as reading, journaling or prayer.
- Monitor daily water intake. Not drinking enough water throughout the day can leave you dehydrated and tired. Every cell in our body is dependent on water to maintain proper function. Water intake cannot be overstated.
- Stay active and exercise . It’s easy to forego physical activity in our busy lives and honestly, it’s not much fun for many of us. Staying active with even moderate exercise can reduce stress and give us a better sense of well-being.
- Get outside. Nature is a great remedy for stress. Sometimes, there is nothing better for your mental and emotional wellness than going outside.
Financial Wellness
Financial wellness is a constant journey of making adjustments and maintaining financial stability, not only to pay your bills but also to enjoy a more stable, healthy and successful life. A special report from Prudential’s Financial Wellness Census found that nearly half of Americans are struggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are a few key components to finding financial wellness no matter what stage of life you find yourself.
- Setting budget parameters. Spend smart and live beneath your means. Evaluate your current subscriptions, consider cutting back on multiple subscriptions with the same services and, when your health care benefits enrollment period comes around each year, do your research and weigh the pros and cons of affordable, alternative health care options.
- Managing day-to-day finances. Learn how to manage your budget. Understand credit scores and the impact they have on your financial wellness. Start a short-term emergency savings fund so you can better handle life’s day-to-day ups and downs.
- Setting and achieving goals. Setting and making progress toward short- and long-term financial goals is a big part of achieving overall financial wellness.
- Protecting against risk. Protecting yourself – and your loved ones – against serious financial disruptions and setbacks can go a long way toward lowering your stress. Having the resources to navigate and manage financial challenges is key to a financially secure life.
Relational & Mental Wellness
Even before COVID-19 changed life as we once knew it, the topic of mental wellness was being discussed more openly, and conversations have continued about the importance of mental health and mental health awareness. A big part of bringing your mental health to the forefront is mindfulness. Mindfulness challenges us to show up fully in every area of our lives. It is the embodiment of living in the moment.
Many times, we do not fully understand the impact that relational strains have on our individual well-being. Just as we, individually, require regular physical and mental health checkups, our relationships deserve that same level of care. Checking in with loved ones and friends is critical in achieving mental and relational wellness. We are hardwired to be connected to other people in order to serve one another, and experience the Kingdom of God on this earth. Finding relationships that are life giving can make all the difference when other aspects of our lives are presenting us with difficult circumstances.
Establishing healthy habits is a challenging but important part of maintaining overall self-care and wellness. While it is easy to get caught up in the busy pace of daily life, small actions and simple activities can make a world of difference. Health care does not come in a one-size-fits-all option, that’s why it is important to select an option that works best for you.
Don’t be afraid to explore ACA-exempt Health Care Sharing Ministries that provide flexible and affordable health care options that fit your needs, both medically and financially. Health Care Sharing Ministries link members together to help one another in their health journey through shared spiritual wellness and practices. Consider our tips on achieving a healthier more fulfilled life through not only your spiritual wellness but physical, financial, mental and relational wellness as well.